This photo by Steven Severinghaus shows the Mexican feather grass, Stipa tenuissima, growing between the pathway’s tapered planks in the early spring. During the colder months of the year, the High Line’s grasses add soft texture and visual interest to the landscape. As temperatures start to warm up, you can spot the first hints of green springing up amongst dried grasses from last year’s growing season.

In March we kicked off our biggest horticultural initiative of the year: Spring Cutback. During this eight-week effort, our gardeners and volunteers work side by side to trim back the park’s plants in order to make way for new spring growth. This photo shows the team at work on the Northern Spur Preserve. Photo by Friends of the High Line

As the dried plants from last year’s growing season were cut back, the first signs of spring popped up, like these woodland crocuses, Crocus tommassinianus. Photo by Friends of the High Line

Toward the middle of the spring, the fuzzy catkins of giant pussy willow trees, Salix chaenomeloides, emerged in the Chelsea Thicket, the densely-planted area on the High Line between West 21st and West 22nd Streets. Photo by Mike Tschappat

Local and visiting photographers alike come to the park to take photographs of plant life and nature set against the cityscape. Photographer Mike Tschappat captured this photo of a plant enthusiast snapping photos of the pussy willows in the spring.

This year we launched our first-ever High Line Green Corps, an alternative spring break made possible by the Nathan Cummings Foundation. For one week in April, ten local teens worked together with our gardeners and learned what it takes to care for a park in the sky. Photo by Joan Garvin

Bursts of color and fragrance, like the blooms of Cutleaf lilac, Syringa x laciniata, pictured here, popped up along the High Line in the spring. Photo by Joan Garvin

Austin Kennedy captured the sumac trees and dried seedheads of the spiked gayfeather, Liatris spicata, along the lower level of the Diller – von Furstenberg Sundeck in the late summer.

Steven Severinghaus snapped this photo of the sweet black-eyed Susans, Rudbeckia subtomentosa, peeking over the High Line’s railings in late summer.

This spring and summer, drip irrigation was installed along the entire length of the High Line. Previously irrigation existed in select areas throughout the park and most of the watering was done by hand. Photo by Friends of the High Line

The beautiful blue and magenta colors of the Harlequin Glorybower, Clerodendrum trichotomum. Photo by Steven Severinghaus

In September we held a ceremonial groundbreaking on the High Line at the Rail Yards to signal the start of construction on the final stretch of the elevated railway. The majority of the self-seeded landscape will be preserved as part of the park’s design. The design team has created an interim walkway that will wend through the existing landscape of prairie grasses, shrubs, and wildflowers. Photo by Liz Ligon

Foliage along the High Line began to change in September. Pictured here are the three-flowered maple trees, Acer triflorum, in the 10th Avenue Square. Photo by Mat McDermott

Purple asters, one of the High Line’s iconic autumn blooms, in October. Photo by Rich Li-Chi Wang

An autumnal landscape on the Northern Spur Preserve evokes the self-seeded grasses and wildflowers that grew up after the trains stopped running in the 1980s. Photo by Steven Severinghaus

On the High Line near West 14th Street, you could find brilliant red foliage on the High Line’s sumac trees contrasted with clumps of purple asters and dried grasses in mid October. Photo by Steven Severinghaus

Pictured here are the original tracks on the third and final section of the High Line at the Rail Yards. With support from UNIQLO, we opened up the rail yards for two weekends of walking tours in October. Photo by Juan Valentin

The High Line’s landscape was largely spared when Hurricane Sandy hit in late October. Our gardeners had worked hard to stake trees and prepare the park’s plants prior to the storm. Photo by Melissa Mansur

This photo was taken the day after Hurricane Sandy swept over New York City. While the landscape and architectural features were intact, electrical, and mechanical systems for the park were heavily damaged during flooding. Photo by Melissa Mansur

Temperatures may be colder, but winter remains at great time to visit the High Line. The varying textures of dried plant stalks and seed heads are punctuated with winter blooms, bright berries, and hearty evergreens. Photo by Friends of the High Line

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Friends of the High Line raises 98% of the High Line’s annual budget.
Owned by the City of New York, the High Line is a public park maintained, operated, and programmed by Friends of the High Line, in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.